Chicken Taco Soup

Sep 29, 2023 · By Bethany Kramer
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This extra-cozy chicken taco soup is layered with richness and zesty flavor! Each spoonful has tender chicken, fire-roasted corn, black beans, and a flavorful tomato broth. It’s super hearty and filling and a soup that everyone loves!

Two white bowls with chicken taco soup in it. The two bowls are arranged on a wooden board with tortilla strips, lime slices, and a gray napkin placed around the bowl.

Today, we’ll combine two of my favorite foods: tacos and soup! And what a delicious combination it is.

This soup is on our regular meal rotation, especially now that it’s officially soup season. Each bite has a little bit of everything you’ll find in tacos – some chicken, black beans, fire-roasted corn, and a perfectly balanced taco seasoning!

In this recipe, I use simple tweaks and additions to layer as much flavor into this soup as possible. Such as a lot of fresh garlic (6 large cloves to be precise!) onion powder layered with raw onion, and fresh cilantro added to the whole soup – not just as a topping! Simple steps like this elevate the broth’s flavor and add much-needed richness.

We truly can’t get enough of this soup, and I hope it becomes a fall/winter staple for you and your family!

Recipe Highlights

This chicken taco soup has all you can expect in a good soup. It is…

HEARTY & FILLING. This isn’t a soup you need to add many side dishes to feel full. It has protein from both the chicken and black beans, so you’ll find it’s very filling and satisfying on its own!

FLAVORFUL & ZESTY. The flavors in this soup are what make it pop! It has traditional taco seasonings, with a hint of heat, nothing too spicy.

COZY & FEEL-GOOD. Most importantly, this soup is cozy and comforting and provides nourishing benefits. So you can feel good about enjoying every spoonful!

Key Ingredients

This soup has a handful of ingredients that either develop key flavors in the dish or provide essential texture! Find the list of ingredients below.

Ingredients for chicken taco soup arranged in small bowls on a tan background, while some of the ingredients are on a round wooden cutting board.

Use the recipe card below for the full ingredient list and measurements.

Chicken – I used chicken breasts for this soup, but you can also use boneless, skinless chicken thighs.
Diced tomatoes – I like to use fire-roasted tomatoes for a touch of smokiness. But regular diced tomatoes work perfectly!
Black beans – for a little more protein! See the notes below for additional different beans I like to use.
Corn – I like to use frozen corn, preferably fire-roasted, to layer more flavor into the soup. But regular frozen corn works, too!
Yellow onion – to develop deep flavor for the broth of the soup.
Garlic – this recipe uses a lot of fresh garlic to add richness and depth.
Celery – might seem like a random ingredient for taco soup, but using celery in any soup is a key way to develop deep flavor.
Chicken broth – I like to use either homemade or quality store-bought chicken broth.
Taco seasonings – I use chili powder, cumin, paprika, onion powder, and cayenne to season the soup with its taco flavor.
Cilantro – I like to add chopped fresh cilantro to finish the soup.
Toppings – you’ll need more cilantro, tortilla strips, and a splash of fresh lime juice!

How to Chicken Taco Soup

A collage of three images showing how to make chicken taco soup. The first photo is a wooden spoon stirring chopped onions in a cast iron pot. The second photo is all the ingredients in the cast iron pot with broth being poured into it. The third photo is the cast iron pot filled with all the soup ingredients.
  1. 1

    Sauté the aromatics. First, sauté the onions and celery in oil for 4-5 minutes with a pinch of salt. Then add the minced garlic for 30-60 seconds.

  2. 2

    Add the ingredients. Then add the remaining ingredients – tomatoes, corn, black beans, chicken breast, seasonings, salt & pepper, and the chicken broth.

  3. 3

    Simmer.Partly cover the soup and let it cook on a gentle simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

A collage of two photos showing how to make chicken taco soup. The first photo is step four showing the chicken breasts chopped into pieces on a cutting board. The next photo is step five showing the finished taco soup in a cast iron pot.
  1. 4

    Cut the chicken breasts. When the soup is finished, carefully transfer the chicken breasts onto a cutting board. Cut into small pieces or use two forks to shred the chicken.

  2. 5

    Add the finishing touches and serve. Then add the chicken back to the soup with the chopped fresh cilantro. Taste, add any additional flavors if needed, and serve with toppings!

Tips for Success

Other beans to use – I like black beans in this soup because of how well they go with Mexican flavors. But I also will use garbanzo beans, cannellini or navy beans, kidney, or pinto beans!

Shred or cut the chicken – when cooked, you can either shred the chicken using forks or cut it into small pieces.

Add more spice – If you like a little more heat, you can up the cayenne pepper measurement or add chipotle peppers in adobo sauce for added flavor and spice!

Meat variations – I like to use chicken breast or thighs for this soup, but you can also use turkey breast. For ground meat, you can use ground chicken, turkey, or ground beef!

What to Serve it With

Flavorful toppings. To add flavor and texture, we love to serve this soup with delicious toppings like tortilla strips/chips, fresh cilantro, shredded cheese, avocado, sour cream, and fresh lime juice!

Cornbread. Since this soup is similar to a chili, it would go perfectly with our honey cornbread!

Salad. If you want to serve a salad on the side, this salad will go perfectly with our vegetarian taco salad!

Make it in a Slow Cooker

Instead of cooking this on the stovetop, you can simmer it in a slow cooker.

How to: Add the onions, garlic, celery, chicken, chicken broth, black beans, corn, tomatoes, and seasonings into a slow cooker. Set the slow cooker on HIGH for 3-4 hours or LOW for 6-7 hours. When finished, carefully remove the chicken and cut it into pieces. Then, add the chicken back to the soup with chopped cilantro. Taste, adjust with additional salt if needed, then serve with toppings!

A white bowl with chicken taco soup in it. The board is arranged on a wooden board with tortilla strips, lime slices, and a gray napkin placed around the bowl.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I freeze it? Of course! My favorite way to freeze it is in a freezer-friendly bag laid flat with all the air removed. You can also use freezer-friendly containers.

How long do leftovers keep? Typically, leftovers from this soup stay fresh for 5-6 days. A week max, just because of the chicken. Keep it in an airtight container chilled in the fridge!

More Soups to Try

If you love this soup, you might also enjoy our three-bean ground turkey chili, slow cooker chicken chili, or this herb chicken and wild rice soup.

Chicken Taco Soup

This extra-cozy chicken taco soup is layered with richness and zesty flavor! Each spoonful has tender chicken, fire-roasted corn, black beans, and a flavorful tomato broth. It's super hearty and filling and a soup that everyone loves!
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced small
  • 6 large garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 celery stalk, diced small
  • 2 chicken breasts, or four chicken cutlets
  • 1 cup fire-roasted corn
  • 1 14 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 28 oz can diced tomatoes, I recommend using fire-roasted
  • 32 oz chicken broth
  • 2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped

Seasonings

Toppings

  • tortilla strips
  • lime

Instructions

  • Saute the onion, celery, and garlic: In a large pot with olive oil, saute the diced onion and celery with a pinch of salt for 4-5 minutes. Then stir in the minced garlic for 30-60 seconds.
  • Add the soup ingredients: Next, add the broth, tomatoes, chicken breast, black beans, corn, and seasonings. Stir the ingredients together.
  • Simmer: Partly cover the soup and let it cook on a gentle simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Cut the chicken: When the soup is finished, carefully transfer the chicken breasts to a cutting board and cut them into pieces or use two forks to shred them.
  • Serve: Add the chicken back to the soup and stir in the chopped cilantro. Taste, adjust with any additional seasonings if needed, then serve with a splash of lime juice, more fresh cilantro, and tortilla strips!

Notes

Make it in a Slow Cooker

Instead of cooking this on the stovetop, you can simmer it in a slow cooker.
How to: Add the onions, garlic, celery, chicken, chicken broth, black beans, corn, tomatoes, and seasonings into a slow cooker. Set the slow cooker on HIGH for 3-4 hours or LOW for 6-7 hours. When finished, carefully remove the chicken and cut it into pieces. Then, add the chicken back to the soup with chopped cilantro. Taste, adjust with additional salt if needed, then serve with toppings!
Course Main Course, Soup
Cuisine American, Mexican
Keyword chicken taco soup, taco soup with chicken
Freezer Friendly Yes

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